Meeting the growing demand for printed, flexible electronics, a team of researchers at IISER-Kolkata has developed a technique that uses laser driven micro-bubbles to literally “write“ or pattern on transparent surfaces.

Printed electronics is one of the fastest growing areas in the electronics industry primarily due to its flexibility and low cost.

These electronics are based on materials called conducting polymers ­ plastic or resin surfaces, which need to be “doped“ or laced with synthetic materials to enhance conductivity.

The process of synthesis, doping, and patterninglithography for designing circuits is mostly separate, and often complex and time consuming.

“Through the technique developed by us, we have basically proven feasibility and also shown that one can simultaneously achieve several things ­ synthesising the polymer, doping it, and patterning it ­ in a single shot,“ said Ayan Banerjee from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata.

The researchers call it “micro-bubble-based writing“, which has been in development over the last four years.

“Our method basically needs a microscope, a laser, and some optical components such as mirrors. A total investment of around Rs 1.5 lakhs should be enough for a basic setup,“ he said.

The “printing“ for printed electronics is typically carried out through inkjet printers or screen printers.

“These are not high-cost, but may suffer from lack of precision ­ the typical resolution for 600 dpi inkjet printing is around 40 microns. We can go much lower than that. We shine a very tightly focused lasers, called optical tweezers, into the sample, which can spatially confine and also controllably move microscopic objects through a fluid medium,“ Banerjee explained.

The believes its method may provide a new paradigm in solution-printed electronic circuits and devices in the future.